AN: This story isn't necessarily a direct sequel to I, Concubine, however, it does allow me explore Prince Spock's Empress T'Pring's and Nyota's relationship more as the sequel will begin after Nyota's death and Prince Syon's rise to power. Folks should read I, Concubine to understand what is going on here. This story takes place seven years after Prince Syon's birth.
Asunder
Home
A long time ago, the Vulcans were nothing more than a savage race of inferior life forms living on a barren wasteland of a desert planet.
The more advance civilizations had long written off the Vulcans as barbaric and doomed to extinction.
It was a prediction that at the time few would argue as the Vulcans preferred to indulge their primitive desires rather than advance themselves.
As a result, Vulcan society fell into chaos and remained this way for centuries.
Until one day, a man walked into a mountain village and began his sermon about the deliverance of Vulcan society.
He spoke about many things, corruption, savagery, idolatry, greed, lust….but more importantly; he talked about how all these failings was the result of emotions.
"I dreamed of a time when Vulcan will stand on high looking down on those who once looked down on us. I dream of a time when the very mention of our race conjures feelings of admiration, respect, and fear. We as a people feel too deeply and allow the pleasures of the flesh to dictate how we live. Emotions must be suppressed if we as a people are to survive and thrive!"
People laughed.
A few, however, stayed, listened to the man's words, and joined him on his journey from village to village spreading his message. Over time the number of his followers grew into a movement that swept over Vulcan as fierce as any desert storm.
The man's name was Surak and his teachings had an impact of Vulcan society not seen before or since and although Surak did not live to see the result, he, without a doubt laid the foundation for Vulcan's eventual rise to power.
Surak also contributed to Vulcan society, albeit unintentionally, his son who not only carried on his father's legacy, but also had in his later years established with several other followers a ruling caste. This caste eventually became the nobility and through Surak's son came the imperial family, Prince Spock.
The heir apparent was returning home from a ten month trip to the Solaris region to examine the process of the mining facilities on several moons as well as quell growing discontent among the miners themselves.
The miners who came from a variety of different species hated their Vulcan overseers who overworked and subjected them to harsh and unsafe conditions.
Prince Spock had no interest in giving into their demands and he had several miners executed as a show of force.
Now returning home, Prince Spock first had to report to his father, Emperor Sarek. Like his son, Emperor Sarek never shied away from using brutality to keep his subjects in line and during his long rule executed a number of subjects including members of prominent Vulcan families. His supremacist views (common among Vulcans) led to the extermination of several hostile and perceived inferior species including the once feared Klingon race.
Prince Spock's relationship with his father had always been even at the best of times distant, as the prince couldn't understand why for years his father never him included in family decisions or assigned more important duties expected for an heir apparent.
Several years ago, the emperor sent the prince to Earth as an ambassador and the success of that trip proved the Prince's ability.
"Your highness, you have a message from Princess T'Pring," a servant interrupted the Prince's thoughts.
"She would contact me now? We will enter Vulcan in a matter of minutes," Prince Spock asked.
He didn't like being interrupted, not even for his wife.
The servant nodded his head, "She said it was important."
Dismissing the servant, Prince Spock answered the message.
It wasn't Princess T'Pring.
It was his concubine, Nyota.
"Syon hasn't met him yet. Too busy studying. He never seems to have time for me anymore since he began his studies. He so wants you to be proud of him," Nyota started in on her conversation while holding a small infant, their newborn son.
Pleased it wasn't the princess, the Prince's eyes moved to the small infant Nyota held close to her breast.
"What name has the Emperor given?" He asked.
"Our son's name is Tarek," Nyota smiled.
The prince's eyes moved back and forth from his concubine to his son.
Speaking in a lower voice, Nyota's expression changed from happiness to anxious, "You know I had him just a few weeks ago, but the Empress won't allow your children to meet him. She hates me…she…"
"I will deal with the princess when I return," Prince Spock interrupted.
"I had to lie to use the intercom because she has the servants spy on my every move. I belong to you not her!"
The infant stirred in her arms.
"T'Pring is only acting out, however, Nyota you know the rules. T'Pring outranks you and you can't expect for her or the others to make time to visit you or the children. When I get there I will be sure that the children visit Tarek."
Nyota nodded her head.
"Thank you your majesty."
Prince Spock turned off the commlink.
His thoughts quickly went to the princess.
Ever since he discovered her affair several years ago with Stonn, a high ranking member of the army, he lost all passion for her.
Princess T'Pring reminded the Prince of his own 'mother' the Empress T'Rea, a strong willed woman who like many Vulcan noblewoman despised Vulcan concubinage. Emperor Sarek had taken over the years many concubines of his own.
Prince Spock hated thinking about Empress T'Rea because it meant he would have to think about his secret. A secret shared by the former empress, his father, and himself.
Instead he thought the other women in his life, Nyota and T'Pring.
The fallout of T'Pring's affair left the princess ashamed, humiliated and reduced to becoming what Vulcan high society called a 'veiled wife,' a woman married to a man who neither wanted or cared for her.
As the princess and a member of the Vulcan nobility, divorce wasn't an option and so while the prince enjoyed himself with his concubine, T'Pring, a 'veiled wife' had only the responsibilities of producing heirs, representing the imperial family at diplomatic events and other duties deemed proper for an princess.
So the princess took her anger out on Nyota.
Princess T'Pring hated Nyota. She hated Nyota's children with the Prince. She hated the Prince. She hated her marriage, but the fall of Empress T'Rea served as a haunting reminder of what could happen to T'Pring and her own family if she ever betrayed the Emperor or his son. And so she stayed loyal.
She was desperately bitter.
The prince had come back from suppressing a rebellion to be thrown back into the political and social maelstrom of his own family.
On one end, he had to deal with his wife who hated him.
He had to deal with his concubine and their son, Prince Syon who due to his mixed heritage became determine to prove his worth to his father at all costs.
He had to deal his father, Emperor Sarek and the demands placed on him as next in line.
He had to deal with a growing threat by his own older brother Prince Sybok who survived exile, knew his secret, and planning his own rise to power.
And he had to protect his secret at all costs.
AN: Not sure how long I will make this story so I will see where it takes me.